


You're A Sour Little Boy

by QuintessentialSunshine



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, But suga is gay, Enemies to Lovers, Humor, M/M, Oikawa is an idiot, Pick Up Lines, Pining, crackish, ensemble crows, iwa is a really good friend, passive aggressive flirting, weve all been there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24301858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuintessentialSunshine/pseuds/QuintessentialSunshine
Summary: Number Two blinks and the gym falls unnaturally quiet. Oikawa has half a second to be confused before Iwa’s cackling laughter begins echoing through the room. He feels his face grow hot.It's one thing to call number ten “Shrimpy” to his face, but calling Karasuno’s pretty second setter “Mr. Refreshing” didn’t sound so much like a demeaning insult as it did… well.. flirting.Number Two smirks.Oh no. Oikawa realizes. The pretty face is a trap.
Relationships: Oikawa Tooru/Sugawara Koushi
Comments: 75
Kudos: 688





	You're A Sour Little Boy

**Author's Note:**

> hello! this is my first fic in literal years and I come out of retirement for these two. I think it must be the big gay-judgement energy they exhume
> 
> Anyways this was supposed to be a thousand-word crack fic but here we are 40 pages later

Oikawa stares across the net as Karasuno crowds around Number Two to praise his targeted serve that had just won them set point. 

“Shake it off, Shitty-kawa.” Iwaizumi snaps as he smacks him in the arm. Oikawa tears his gaze from the other setter to glare at him. 

“Oh please, Iwa-chan. It’s not like I’m worried we’ll lose the match.” He scoffs with a lazy wave of his hand. In fact, Karasuno had yet to win a game today. It was both mildly infuriating and almost admirable that despite losing two games in a row, the crows remain so determined. 

When Coach Irihata announced they were having another practice match with Karasuno only a few weeks after defeating them in the fall-prelims, Oikawa had to choke back a laugh. He could hardly imagine the murderous look on Tobio’s face when Karasuno heard about this practice match. He joked about Tobio using the match to finally enact his revenge plot the entire week leading up to the match. So much so that Iwa took him aside before Karasuno arrived and made him swear not to actually start a fight with Tobio. 

(Oikawa had rolled his eyes. “You almost hit a child _once_ , and your best friend instantly assumes you're going to get in a fistfight.”)

Surprising even himself, Oikawa actually hadn’t paid much mind to his former kouhai. Though he did spend a full minute cackling when Karasuno arrived and Tobio not only glared but honest to god _growled_ at him. 

Tobio continued to shoot daggers at him as they started the first set, but Oikawa found his attention being pulled to a different setter. Oikawa remembered Number Two from the prelim match. Of course he did, how could he forget Mr. Refreshing? He had been such a pleasant break from Tobio and Shrimpy’s insane quick attacks. Oikawa hadn’t expected much from the other third-year but found himself pleasantly surprised as Number Two immediately targeted their weaknesses and brought out the best in his team. Those innocent looks hid a deeply analytical mind that was able to make almost eerily accurate predictions that not only scored Karasuno points but drastically raised their morale as well. It reminded him a bit of himself if he’s honest. 

Nowhere near his talent, of course. But watching Mr. Refreshing play had given him a rush of excitement. 

It probably helps that he was cute too.

But today Oikawa had found his gaze drifting to Mr. Refreshing even when he was off the court. He watched as he cheered on his teammates with a ridiculous pose, and when he shouted at Shrimpy to calm down, and when he punched the other third years in the stomach after Karasuno lost the first game. 

And he still stares now, eyes tracing the pale line of the setter’s neck as he drinks from his water bottle. 

“Mr. Refreshing’s target serves are a pain to deal with.”

“Hmm?” Iwa turns to follow his gaze. “Oh, Number Two.” He pushes a water bottle into Oikawa’s chest, and Oikawa obediently grabs it and begins drinking. “For someone not in the starting line-up you’re really fixated on him, you know that?” Oikawa nods absently. He wonders if Mr. Refreshing ever stopped smiling. “Are you even listening to me?” Iwa snaps. 

Oikawa hums. Was it even possible for hair to look that soft? He should ask what products he uses. 

Iwa sighs and rolls his shoulders. “Dumbass.” He mutters, before smirking. “But you're right, he really knows how to throw us off with those serves.” He continues. _How could hands that delicate belong to a setter?_ “Could probably earn them nearly as many points as your serves do for us.”

Oikawa gasps. That got his attention. “Iwa!! How could you say that! My serves are incomparable!”

He bickers with Iwa about power serves and target serves until the game started back up again. Mr. Refreshing stays subbed in for the rest of the game, though his calculated moves and encouragement aren’t enough to stop Seijoh from taking the last set. But even then Mr. Refreshing keeps smiling. 

It’s almost inevitable that Oikawa approaches him as the two teams are cleaning the gym. He does it almost without thinking. He isn’t exactly sure why he’s so fascinated with Number Two, he just knows he has to say something to him. Maybe it was a competitive thing? Between setters? Though Mr. Refreshing certainly didn’t make his blood boil like Tobio did. Perhaps it was that he looked so misplaced on his team of rowdy first years, unhinged second years, and beefy third years. Yet he seems to be the foundation that held them all together, even when he was off the court. Mr. Refreshing was an enigma and Oikawa is determined to learn his secrets. 

Though he really should have thought about what he was going to say before striding across the gym to stand behind Mr. Refreshing as he’s chatting to Sawamura. 

He clears his throat to get the boy’s attention. Number Two turns and raises an elegant brow when he sees Oikawa. He had clearly been expecting one of his teammates but still offered Oikawa one of his warm smiles. Sawamura gives him a suspicious look over Number Two’s shoulder but Oikawa ignores him. 

_Of course_ his eyes are pretty too. Was that even a real shade of brown? Was golden amber a color? 

“Hello, Oikawa-san. Can I do something for you?”

_Oh my god is that a beauty mark?? What kind of Marilyn Monroe--_

Oikawa quickly shakes his thoughts away. He should probably say something. 

“You have to show me how you do that targeted serve, Mr. Refreshing.”

Number two blinks and the gym falls unnaturally quiet. Sawamura chokes on nothing, his eyes wide. Oikawa has half a second to be confused before Iwa’s cackling laughter begins echoing through the room. He feels his face grow hot.

It's one thing to call Number Ten “Shrimpy” to his face, but calling Karasuno’s pretty second setter “Mr. Refreshing” didn’t sound so much like a demeaning insult as it did… well.. flirting. It didn’t help that his voice was so naturally sexy too. 

This was not Oikawa’s plan at all and he finds himself unexpectedly thrown off-kilter. He had just wanted to see what made Mr. Refreshing tic, not reveal his rather affectionate nickname for him in front of both their teams. 

Amidst Iwa’s laughter and Sawamura’s gasps for air, Mr. Refreshing levels him with a curious look.

And then he smirks.

_Oh no._ Oikawa realizes. _The pretty face is a trap._

“I’ll show you mine when you show me how to do that killer serve, _Grand King_.”

Number Two’s voice sounds like dripping honey and he flutters his eyelashes as he makes Shrimpy’s stupid nickname sound like the dirtiest pet name you could think of and oh my god Oikawa gets it now. 

He **HATES** Mr. Refreshing. His unassuming presence and soft smiles were just made to lure you in so he can find your weaknesses and use them to suddenly strike with a devastating pinch serve or coordinated attack or _apparently_ clever one-liners deliberately constructed to embarrass Oikawa in front of both his enemies and his allies! How dare this backbench setter try to fluster him! Oikawa Tooru, the best setter in the entire Miyagi prefecture and playboy of Aoba Johsai! 

Oikawa was wrong before. His fixation on Mr. Refreshing _had_ been one born of competitiveness. Not in setting--but charm. 

Nice try Mr. Refreshing, but no one could compete with him when it came to the art of charming. He would have Number Two a stuttering mess in seconds. That would show him for trying (keyword being trying, Oikawa resolutely denies that he was ever actually embarrassed) to make him look like a witless fool. 

Oikawa assumes a smooth smile, the same he uses on all the girls back at his high school. “Hmmm, trying to learn my secrets, Mr. Refreshing? That’s very sneaky of you.” Oikawa’s voice is not higher than normal, no matter how many times Iwa makes fun of him later. He sounds very suave and confident. Thank you very much. 

Mr. Refreshing laughs and that is NOT how he was supposed to react. “I think you’ll have to learn my name before we start sharing secrets, Oikawa.” He leans closer and Oikawa absolutely _does not_ take a step back. “And then maybe I’ll let you learn some of _my_ secrets.”

AND THEN HE FUCKING WINKS.

Before Oikawa can even begin to process how to react to _Mr. Refreshing, winking at him_ the setter spins abruptly on his heel and returns to his conversation with Sawamura like nothing even happened. 

There’s a beat before the gym suddenly erupts in chaos. Iwa is laughing harder now and this time is joined by the rest of the third years and the underclassmen who are trying, not very hard he might add, to stifle their giggles. Karasuno’s two unhinged second years tackle Number Two, shouting various praises about how cool that was or how “You really showed up that asswipe! Did you see his face?” Karasuno’s first years stare at their senpai in awe, Tobio and the green one were even blushing, no doubt shocked at how suggestive their Vice-Captain could be. The only ones who didn’t seem surprised were Sawamura and the Ace with the man bun who just shook their heads and shared a knowing look. 

Oikawa raised his head high and struts back to his team, admonishing them for being so cruel to their loving leader and promising them extra laps as punishment. The underclassmen at least try to look sheepish but his fellow third years only laugh harder. Iwa and Matsukawa are leaning on each other for support. Oikawa has never felt so betrayed in his life.

“And I was worried you were going to start a fight with him and I was gonna have to stop you from getting smacked by _both_ of Karasuno’s setters.” Iwa chokes out. “But it seems like _Mr. Refreshing_ is doing just fine putting you in your place. Maybe I should send him a thank you letter.”

Hanamaki immediately offers to throw in some yen for the card which sets off a whole conversation by his friends about how they’re going to thank Mr. Refreshing. 

Oikawa glances back at Karasuno as he’s whining loudly about how mean his friends are. He watches as Number Two responds to the second years with a good natured laugh and then easily avoids any further questioning or attention by asking Tobio about one of his sets. Which immediately sets Shrimpy off complaining about how they were “ _too highhhhhh_ ” to which Tobio snaps: “Maybe if you were paying attention you’d jump _on time_ , idiot!”. This quickly dissolves into a squabble that wipes the curious incident with their senpai and the Grand King from their minds. 

All the while, he has that damn refreshing smile on his face. Oikawa feels a fire burn under his veins.

_Very well, Mr. Refreshing. It’s on._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All of his teammates refuse to give him Mr. Refreshing’s name no matter how much he pesters them. From Iwa’s smug face Oikawa suspects he had something to do with it. But Oikawa is nothing if not persistent, and as soon as he gets home he digs through his desk for the pamphlet from the fall preliminaries. After taking a moment to admire his picture on the feature they did on him, Oikawa flips the page to Karasuno’s roster and finds the name next to number two. 

_Sugawara Koushi_

Oikawa grins as Sugawara’s annoyingly pretty face flashed through his mind. Oikawa had never wanted to see anything more than he wants to see Mr. Refreshing’s cool facade break and crumble, and he swears he will be the one to do it. 

He needs to make a plan of attack.

~~~~~~~

The next time Oikawa encounters Sugawara he does not have much time to plan his strategy. He’s taking a bus to go visit his sister and Takeru in the next town over, he lazily glances out the window to see the silver setter himself walking with Shrimpy and that new blonde manager Karasuno acquired. They have bags full of fruit and flowers, which Oikawa assumes came from the market in town. The trio are chatting amicably as they walk down the sidewalk. It’s with growing irritation that Oikawa notes how the afternoon sunlight weaves through Sugawara’s silver hair and shines against his pale skin, making him look almost ethereal. Absolutely unacceptable. Oikawa has to make his move now. 

Jumping to his feet, Oikawa hastily slides open his window as the bus stops at a red light. 

“Mr. Refreshing!” He calls. 

Sugawara turns, as do the two first years, the blonde girl jumps nearly a foot in the air. Sugawara looks surprised for just a moment before his eyes glitter with amusement. 

“Great King!” He shouts back. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

Oikawa pouts. “Awwww, but I’ve been looking for you, Suga-chan.” 

Suga’s cheeky smile grows. “Ahh, so you have been thinking about me, Oikawa.” The two first years stare at Sugawara with wide eyes. “I had been hoping I made an impression.”

“Oh you certainly did, Suga-chan” Oikawa purrs. “But it was so mean of you to bat those pretty brown eyes of yours at me and then walk away! How am I supposed to learn your secrets if I never get to talk to you, Mr. Refreshing?” Oikawa spoke like silken velvet and slowly looked Sugawara up and down, implication heavy with every glance. The blonde girl's face turns bright red as she softly screams and Shrimpy looks torn between wanting to fight him or ask him for flirting tips. He had charmed every girl at Aoba Johsai and quite a few outside of it. Sugawara really never stood a chance.

So why is he still goddamn smiling!?

Totally unfazed by Oikawa’s MOST SULTRY sex voice, Sugawara scoffs and says “Are you trying to ask for my number, Oikawa? You’ll have to try harder than that.”

Oikawa HATED this boy, he could not be human. No one is this unfazeable!

“You figured out my name, but I don’t give my number to strangers.” Suga brings a finger to his lips and hums. “Unless they’re really cute.”

The blonde girl abruptly fell to the ground and Shrimpy worriedly flutters over her. Oikawa feels his fingers clench and his suggestive smile twitch.

The light changes to green and the bus begins to pull away. Through his angry haze Oikawa tries to come up with a witty one-liner that would finally put red on those pale cheeks but Sugawara beats him to the punch.

“And you’re pretty cute so try just a bit harder next time. Okay, _Oikawa-kun_?”

THEN HE FUCKING WINKS AGAIN.

Oikawa absolutely does not blush because Mr. Refreshing called him _cute._ There's no way he was beating him that easy. 

He repeats that to himself as he quickly swings his head back in the bus and slams the window shut.

The old lady in the seat across from him sends him a glare. He glares back.

Mr. Refreshing is a formidable opponent but Oikawa would break him. He swore it.

(“Uncle Tooru, your face is ugly when you're angry like that. Well, uglier than normal.”

“You’re meaner than Iwa-chan! You know that?!”)

~~~

A week later, Oikawa stands outside of Karasuno's gym, waiting for practice to end and grinning wickedly to himself.

For the first time he had the element of surprise. He would strike here, where Mr. Refreshing thought he was safe, and turn him into a stuttering mess in-front of his whole team. It was an absolutely flawless plan, despite Iwa accusing him of being a stalker. What did he know anyway?

Oikawa straightens up as the door to the gym abruptly swings open, donning his most charming smile and spreading his arms wide. “Yahoo~ Mr. Refresh-”

“Um, what the fuck?”

Oikawa falters. For all his meticulous planning he had not foreseen having to confront Karasuno’s plucky libero and towering ace with Sugawara nowhere in sight. Which, in hindsight was a rather obvious miscalculation. Why did he assume Sugawara would be the first out of the gym? He could almost hear Iwa-chan calling him an idiot. Oikawa swears he was not usually this hopeless. It was all Mr. Refreshing’s fault. 

The two crows stare at Oikawa with a mix of suspicion and surprise. The libero’s eyes narrow dangerously at him and Oikawa gulps, feeling quite like he was in the middle of a standoff. 

“Um.” He says lamely. “I was looking for Sugawara?”

Man bun opens his mouth to reply but before he can do anything the tiny libero is suddenly advancing with startling speed. He crowds Oikawa up against the pole he had been leaning on and jabs a finger into his chest. It should be almost comical with the drastic height difference between himself and the libero but, despite having over a foot on him, Oikawa still feels thoroughly intimidated. 

“Listen here, dickwad.” He growls and behind him the Ace makes a mortified sound. “I don’t know what you want with Suga-san but I swear to god if you are trying to make fun of him I will literally kill you.”

“ _Noya!_ ” The ace hisses, but “Noya” pays him no mind as he continues to glare up at Oikawa. 

“You think it's a joke or something? That it's something you can use just to mess with him?” Okay, Oikawa is a little confused now, he feels he lost track of exactly what they were talking about. “Suga may be too nice to say anything,” Oikawa snorts. Mr. Refreshing, nice? Please, that boy was the devil in disguise. This was apparently the wrong reaction as Noya grew even more angry. “But I’m not!” Manbun moved forward to try to pull Noya back by the collar of his shirt but the libero did not let up. “So you better leave him alone or-” 

“Oikawa?”

Oikawa almost sighs in relief as Sugawara’s voice calls out from the gym doors. The libero turns to look at him and Oikawa uses the moment of distraction to slip away from where he had been cornered and strut up to Sugawara who was standing, confused but smiling, on the steps to the gym. Noya barkes when he realizes his captive has escaped but Manbun quickly wraps his arms around the small boy’s waist to hold him back. 

“Mr. Refreshing!” He sings and bows dramatically. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Sugawara raises a brow. “Is that so?”

Oikawa hums. “I’m here to accept your challenge, Suga-kun.” At this point the rest of Karasuno heard all of the commotion and came to crowd around the gym doors. “Is walking you home enough effort to earn your number?”

Suga considers this, ignoring his entire team whispering just a few feet behind them. Oikawa can hear Noya still angrily trying to escape from behind him and he decides to step up his game. Taking a step closer to Sugawara he leans down towards his ear and whispers, quiet enough to be suggestive but still audible enough that the rest of Karasuno can hear him, “Remember, Suga-chan, I’m pretty cute too.”

Then **HE** leans back and winks. Take _that_ Mr. Refreshing. 

Oikawa almost loses it when, instead of flushing like he was supposed to, Sugawara just laughs. “You make a compelling argument, Oikawa.” Sugawara smiles at him, wide and bright and full of teeth and Oikawa feels like his breath had just been stolen from him. “Fine, you can walk me home. Lemme go get changed.” He brushes past Oikawa, purposefully bumping their shoulders and Oikawa resists the childish urge to hip check him into the ground. 

Sugawara pats his seething libero on the head as he passes and pauses to turn back to Oikawa with that evil gleam in his eye and Oikawa could already feel his genius strategy crumbling to pieces in Sugawara’s slender hands. “You’re carrying my stuff though.” 

Oikawa quickly turns his head so Sugawara couldn’t see his frustrated scowl as he walks off towards the club room. Oikawa resoutley ignores the smug faces of Karasuno as the rest of the team files out of the gym to follow their Vice Captain. Tobio, Noya, and Baldy all look like they want to say something further but Sawamura and one of the second years, that Oikawa could not for the life of him ever remember seeing before, manage to shepherd them off without any conflict. 

Oikawa silently fumes as he waits for Sugawara. How did he always lose control of the situation so quickly? He probably should have known his mission was a failure as soon as the libero walked out the door instead of Sugawara. What had that been all about anyways? He knew he wasn’t exactly liked by Karasuno but this competition between Sugawara and him was largely harmless wasn’t it? He just wants to see the boy’s cool composure to break, even for just a moment. He wants him to feel some of the embarrassment that he felt back at the practice match. But the tiny libero had seemed much more angry than the situation called for. But then again Karasuno’s starting second years had always been quick to anger. He remembers Kindaichi telling him about how Baldy had actually tried to bite him when he tried to talk to their manager. 

Oh well. Oikawa has more important things to worry about than Karasuno’s insane libero, particularly what to do now that his first plan of attack against Mr. Refreshing had failed. Absolutely nothing he had said fazed him. Maybe words weren’t enough then? Perhaps Oikawa should adopt more drastic measures. There was more than one way to fluster someone after all. 

Oikawa’s smirk returns as a plan begins forming in his head and by the time Sugawara returns, bag in hand, he has fully regained his confidence and darts forward to snatch Sugawara’s bag from him, swinging it over his shoulder. “Ready then, dear?” 

Suga chokes out a surprised laugh. “Expanding the nicknames then?” Oikawa shrugs and Suga shakes his head, exasperated. “Has anyone ever told you you’re a lot to handle?”

Yes. Iwa-chan has, nearly everyday since they’ve become friends. “Nope. People always say I am an absolute _pleasure_ to be around.” 

Sugawara huffs. “Uh huh. I’m sure.” He turns to start walking. “Well come on then, we should probably get you out of here before Nishinoya and Tanaka show up cause I’m pretty sure they do not find you a pleasure to be around.”

“It’s not my fault your teammates are so rude!” Oikawa whines as he falls in line with Suga’s brisk pace. “Though seeing how their senpai acts I guess it’s not that surprising.” 

Suga smirks but doesn’t reply and they walk in silence for a moment. Sugawara leads him out of Karasuno’s campus and down a backroad that weaves narrowly in between apartment buildings and small shops. The setting sun casts looming shadows under the buildings and a chill wind flows through the town, making Oikawa shiver in the cold. “So do you always walk home alone, Suga-chan? Seems dangerous for someone as pretty as you to be out here alone.”

Suga laughs. “Well usually I walk with Daichi and Asahi but today this annoying setter from a rival school showed up at my school and demanded he walk me home.” He shoots Oikawa a teasing glance and Oikawa has to physically stop himself from sticking his tongue out. “Plus, I can take care of myself.” Oikawa was sure of that. “ And it’s really not that far of a walk.”

He pretends to be put out. “But I want to be with you as long as possible, Suga-chan! Perhaps there’s a scenic route we can take?”

“As tempting as that sounds, some of us do have actual lives and can’t spend all day stalking the competition.”

Oikawa squawks. “Don’t flatter yourself, Mr. Refreshing. I am not stalking you.”

Suga looks at him doubtfully. “Oh? What do you call this then?”

“I call it following through on a promise.” Oikawa asserts and Sugawara looks intrigued. 

“And what promise is that?”

“Nosy, aren’t we, Mr. Refreshing?”

“Says the man insisting I lead him to my family home.”

Oikawa laughs. “Touche, Mr. Refreshing.” Sugawara turns a corner that is largely obscured from the main road by a tall building and Oikawa sees his opportunity. Oikawa takes several long strides until he is in front of Sugawara, making him stop in his tracks and look warily at Oikawa, no doubt trying to figure out what move he would make next. _Just like on court_ , Oikawa thinks before smirking and taking step after step towards Sugawara. Forcing him to back up until his back hit the cold brick wall of the building behind them. Then, just like the heart throb in a K-Drama, Oikawa slams his hands onto the wall on either side of Sugawara's head, trapping him between his arms. 

Suga’s eyes grow wide and his mouth drops open. A thrill runs down Oikawa’s spine as he watches the boy in front of him. Oikawa had never been more in control of this game between him and Mr. Refreshing than he was now, and the adrenaline and power made his head feel dizzy. 

He drinks in Sugawara’s shocked expression with a lazy smirk before leaning in towards his ear. “I promised myself I would learn you secrets, Mr. Refreshing. I intend to do so thoroughly” Oikawa feels like he’s drunk being this close to Sugawara. He can feel his warm breath hitting his shoulder, his silver hair just barely brushing across the side of his face. Oikawa heart races with excitement. Finally something is going according to plan! 

Oikawa waits for it. For Sugawara to gasp and shudder against him and for Oikawa to finally have his victory over this pretty setter that had been plaguing his every thought the past month.

But it never comes. Instead, he feels Sugawara’s tinkling laugh as soft puffs of air on his chest and Oikawa _fumes_. He pulls back to glare daggers at him. Seriously? He had never been so frustrated in his life! What could it possibly take to break Sugawara Koushi?

Oikawa opens his mouth to snap at Suga for laughing but before he can say anything Suga stops laughing and looks at Oikawa with that smirk. Oikawa swallows and suddenly Suga is wrapping his arms around his neck, pulling their bodies closer until only an inch of air separates them. Using Oikawa’s shoulders as leverage, he pushes himself up onto his toes so he can reach Oikawa’s ear. He moves his lips so close that Oikawa swears he could almost feel them on the shell of his ear. “Promises, promises.” He muses and Oikawa shudders and _this is not how this was supposed to go!_ “But I don’t put out on the first date, Oikawa. Much less no date at all.”

Oikawa did not even give himself time to have some embarrassing reaction to Sugawara’s words. He pulls Suga’s arms from his neck and takes two sharp steps back. “Fine!” He snaps, destroying any semblance of his cool playboy facade. “Go on a date with me then!” 

Suga pauses. “What?” He breathes like he was sure he didn’t hear him right. 

Oikawa groans in frustration. He was really going to make him ask again wasn’t he? This boy was merciless. “I need to figure out your name, I did. I can’t get your number cause were strangers, so I come all the way to fucking Karasuno to walk you home and get attacked by your guard dog libero.” Oikawa huffs and crosses his arms. “Now you won’t tell me your secrets unless we go on a date. So fine, Mr. Refreshing. Let’s go on a date then.” 

Suga looked taken aback for a moment and Oikawa felt a sliver of confidence return. Perhaps he was finally calling Mr. Refreshing on his bluff, maybe this is as far as the other boy was willing to take this competition of theirs. “Unless you weren’t serious, Suga-chan?” Oikawa challenges, arching a brow as he looks Suga up and down. 

Oikawa swears he sees disappointment flash across Sugawara’s face but he blinks and his calm smile and mischievous eyes are back. “Oh I’m serious, Oikawa.” He leans casually against the wall behind him. “But how do I know if you are? This is a rather sudden proposition after all.”

Oikawa frowns. “Of course I’m serious, Suga-chan. I have to keep my promise don’t I?”

“Prove it.”

“What?”

Suga grins wolfishly at him, his eyes sparkling. Oikawa’s blood is hot in his veins and he feels his anger and annoyance ebb as the rush of his competition with Sugawara returns. “Prove that you wanna take me on a date. Ask me again.” Suga pushes off the wall and continues down the road. “And maybe do better than yelling it at me next time, okay?”

“It was in the heat of the moment!” Oikawa protests as he jogs to catch up with Suga. “Just wait Suga-chan, my next one will sweep you off your feet.” His mind was already conjuring different scenarios and strategies of how to ask Sugawara out. Which would be the best to fluster him? It would be more difficult because Suga would be expecting him to ask but Oikawa had always prided himself on being creative. Just the thought of the challenge was enough to have him grinning like a madman. 

Sugawara smiles softly at him, though Oikawa is too caught up in strategizing to notice. “I look forward to it.” And if Sugawara’s voice sounds more fond and wistful than his typical polite and sure tone, well, Oikawa was none the wiser. 

True to Suga’s word, it only takes them ten more minutes to reach the Sugawara residence. Suga fills the time telling Oikawa about the various antics his first years got up to during practice with Oikawa cutting in every now and then with an insult at Tobio’s expense. Which Suga dutifully admonishes him for. 

Once they reach Suga’s front gate Oikawa passes him his bag with a wink. Sugawara seems to consider him for a moment before reaching into his bag for a notebook and a pen. He watches almost unbelievingly as Suga scrawls his phone number on a sheet of paper before tearing it off and handing it to Oikawa. 

Oikawa takes it as Suga says, “Guess you were cute enough after all.” then he turns and walks into his home. 

Oikawa knew he should be annoyed that Suga got the last word, but as he stares at the paper in his hands and the small winky face written beneath the number he can’t bring himself to even roll his eyes. Instead, he starts the long walk back to his own home with a jump in his step and a wide grin that he can’t seem to wipe away. 

He saves Sugawara’s phone number in his phone as _Mr. UNRefreshing_ and declares today’s battle a tie.

~~~~~~~~~

**To: Mr. UNRefreshing**

suga-chan~ 

**From: Mr. UNRefreshing**

I wonder who this could be

**To: Mr. UNRefreshing**

mr. refreshing! (´ ω `♡) i’ve missed you~~~ <3

**From: Mr. UNRefreshing**

You just saw me a few hours ago! 

**To: Mr. UNRefreshing**

but it feels like a years! ｡･ﾟﾟ*(>д<)*ﾟﾟ･｡ just a moment without you is a moment too long 

**From: Mr. UNRefreshing**

I’m regretting this already 

**To: Mr. UNRefreshing**

too bad suga-chan! your stuck with me until i learn all ur secrets (* ^ ω ^)

**From: Mr. UNRefreshing**

you’re*

**To: Mr. UNRefreshing**

(눈_눈) 

  
  
  


**To: Mr. UNRefreshing**

So….

**From: Mr. UNRefreshing**

So?

**To: Mr. UNRefreshing**

Go on a date with me

**From: Mr. UNRefreshing**

Really? Through text? Did u seriously think that would work

**To: Mr. UNRefreshing**

Can’t blame me for trying (^_<)〜☆

~~~~~~

“Suga, look out!” Asahi shrieks as a volleyball hurdles their direction. Suga turns just in-time to catch it as it slams into his chest, knocking the air from his lungs. Ashai neversouly flutters around him, asking if he was okay and oh god did he need to go to the nurse, Suga please say you’re breathing. Suga assures Asahi he’s fine as he looks for who threw the ball. 

He is unsurprised to find Oikawa’s face smirking back at him. Suga quirks a brow in question and Oikawa looks deliberately between him and the volleyball. Suga glances down at the ball to see “Go out with me” scrawled on the ball in twisting cursive. 

He shakes his head and laughs looking back at Oikawa with an incredulous look. Oikawa winks back at him and cups his hands around his mouth to shout across the gym, “So what your answer, Mr. Refreshing?” Drawing the attention of the rest of Aoba Johsai who look at their captain warily. No doubt expecting him to make a fool of himself again and not wanting to deal with the fallout of an embarrassed Oikawa. They should really stop having practice games against Karasuno. 

Suga thinks for a moment before turning to Asahi. “Do you have a pen?”

A minute later Iwazumi lazily says “Watch your head, dumbass.” a second before a volleyball slams into the back of Oikawa’s head. 

Oikawa whips around to glare at a smirking Iwa as he rubs the sore spot on the back of his head. Across the net, Suga is looking deceptively innocent as he stretches and avoids eye contact. Oikawa looks down at the ball just in time to see the bright red “NO” written under his message before the ball rolls off. Oikawa grins, another try then. 

For the rest of the match Oikawa is at the top of his game, and he finishes the match with four straight service aces, the sound of the ball slamming into the ground ringing in his ears like a symphony. Everytime he glances at Sugawara on the sidelines his stomach flutters and his heart races. This game of theirs was almost as exciting than volleyball.

Almost.

~~~~~~~~

“Koushi!”

Suga pokes his head out of his room to stare down the hallway. “Yes, mom?”

His mom appears around the corner with a massive bouquet of bright yellow tulips in her arms. “Someone’s sent you flowers!” Suga blinks and his mom beams at him. “Do you have a boyfriend we don’t know about, Koushi?”

Suga splutters. “What? No, I….” Realization dawns on him and he drags his hand over his face with a groan. “Oh I know who it's from, mom. It’s-” how to describe this weird thing between him and Oikawa? “...an inside joke?”

His mom looks doubtful.“Sure, Koushi. Just be sure to thank him, they’re beautiful. How did he know tulips are your favorite?”

“Lucky guess?”

“Hmmm.” She says knowingly and moves forward to shove the flowers into his arms. “Well I’ll go get a vase for them you better read the note that came with it.”

Note? Suga looks down at the tulips to see a small white card attached to the stems with a blue ribbon. Preparing himself for the worst, Suga picks up the card and reads. 

_Dear, Mr. Refreshing_

_Not even flowers are as refreshing as your smile. I can’t wait to put our tulips together, so let’s go on a date!_

_ <3 Tooru _

Suga snorts and smiles deliriously as he rereads the note at least a dozen times before pulling out his phone. 

**To: Oikawa**

Flowers and pick-up lines, really?

Oikawa replies almost immediately.

**From: Oikawa**

nothing wrong with the classics (づ￣ ³￣)づ

so did it work?

**To: Oikawa**

Nope. My mom says thank you for the flowers though

**From: Oikawa**

ah! already winning over the in-laws. tell momma refreshing that she is more than welcome and i would send her as many flowers as she likes if her son wasn’t so cruel 

**To: Oikawa**

Please don’t call my mom “momma refreshing”

**From: Oikawa**

now that i’ve captured momma refreshing’s heart all that’s left is daddy refreshing, tell me suga-chan does daddy refreshing prefer flowers or chocolates (・・ ) ?

**To: Oikawa**

I hate you

**From: Oikawa**

(*¯ ³¯*)♡

~~~~~~~

“Who is that?”  
  


“No idea. I don’t think he’s from here though.”

“Well obviously. What uniform is that?”

“Dateko?”

“No, the tie is the wrong color. I think it’s Aoba Johsai. Hey Daichi, don’t you play against Seijoh? Do you know this guy?”

Suga studiously ignores his classmates as they gather around the window to discuss whatever was going on outside. He had been stuck on the same problem for the past five minutes and was on the verge of snapping his pencil in half. Who the fuck needed calculus anyways?

“Uh, Suga?” Daichi calls hesitantly and Suga almost slams his head against the desk. Could he not just get some peace and quiet?

“What?” He snaps, perhaps harsher than he intends.

Daichi rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. “You may wanna check this out.” He jerks a thumb towards the window all his classmates are gathered around. 

Suga gives him a dry look but Daichi shakes his head to let him know he’s serious and Suga sighs. He tosses his pencil on his desk and trudges over to the window where his classmates move aside to let him glance down at the school grounds.

Standing there, dressed in his school uniform, is Oikawa Tooru, scanning the windows of the building searching for something. Sugawara really wished that something wasn’t him. 

He thinks about just walking back to the desk and ignoring Oikawa but then he considers the hundreds of whiny texts he would likely receive if he did and groans. 

He looks around at his classmates. “I apologize in advance for whatever he says.” 

Before they can react Suga pushes the window open and leans out to shout:. “Does Iwazumi know you’re skipping class, Oikawa?”

At his voice Oikawa turns and lights up when he sees him. “Suga-chan!” He calls and waves frantically like Suga wasn’t already looking right at him. Suga rolls his eyes fondly and leans his elbows on the window sill, trying to look for all the world that he was bored out of his mind. 

Behind him he hears one of the girls in his class whisper “Oikawa? Like Oikawa Tooru from that sports magazine?”

“I saw him on the news once, he’s like a legend in the game apparently.” 

“Well he sure is as hot as they say he is.”

“Shut up! He’s talking again.”

“I was so worried I wouldn’t find you!” Oikawa walks closer to the third floor window Suga is leaning out of. Suga notices a large bag slung across the boy’s shoulders, and he has to hide his excited grin behind his hand, wondering what Oikawa could possibly have planned this time. 

“Well, here I am. So is there a reason you’re embarrassing yourself in front of the entire school?” He teases despite knowing exactly why Oikawa is here. 

Oikawa grins. “Why I have something very important to ask you, Mr. Refreshing.” Dropping his bag on the ground Oikawa reaches down, pulls out a large speaker out of the bag and holds it over his head. 

As music begins to fill the school Suga deeply regrets every choice he made that has led him here.

_Oh I just wanna take you anywhere that you like_

It’s cheesy. It’s so unbearably cheesy that Suga can’t stop himself. He laughs and laughs and laughs. Oikawa Tooru is standing outside his classroom window holding a speaker over his head and playing _One Direction_. For him. The situation is so ridiculous that it seems impossible to do anything but laugh. He can hear his classmates whispering behind him but he couldn’t care less. 

_And if you, you want me too_

Suga expects Oikawa to have his usual pout whenever Suga doesn’t react how he wanted, but instead he’s smiling back at him. Joy and humor are bright on his face and when their eyes meet again Suga feels his breath catch.

_If you don’t wanna take it slow_

For a moment everything fades away. He can’t hear his classmates gossiping or see Daichi shaking his head or the teachers from other windows starting to shout angrily at Oikawa.

_And you just wanna take me home_

Suga lets himself pretend that this is real. That this wasn’t just Oikawa trying to break him so he can feel some kind of twisted satisfaction. That Oikawa was really confessing to him with a cringy love song. 

_Baby just yeah yeah yeah_

Suga thinks about saying yes to the question he knows is coming. 

_And let me kiss you_

Oikawa opens his mouth.

“What in god’s name is going on?”

All heads swivel around to the Vice Principal who was furiously marching towards Oikawa. “Young man you are trespassing on private property! I will not hesitate to call the police.”

Oikawa pales and, without turning the music off, drops the speaker back into his bag and swings it back over his shoulder. He glances up at Suga. “Guess I’ll have to get your answer next time, Mr. Refreshing.” He blows Suga a kiss that Suga pretends to catch and then throw on the ground. Oikawa laughs before breaking off into a sprint towards the school gates.

“Get back here you hooligan!” The Vice Principal shrieks as he hobbles after him. 

Suga shakes his head, exasperated, before ducking back into his classroom and returning to his seat, ignoring the wide eyed stares from his classmates. He slides into his seat next to Daichi and smiles deliriously down at his homework. 

He feels Daichi staring at him but refuses to ask. If Daichi had something to say he could say it. After a minute Daichi sighs and turns away.

“Are you sure you know what you’re getting into with him, Suga?”

Suga rolls his eyes and pats Daichi on the arm. “Don’t worry Daichi, I’m a big boy.” Daichi frowns at him and Suga can already hear a lecture coming on. “Really Daichi, I’m fine. I know it’s just Oikawa being Oikawa. I can handle him.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about, Suga.”

Suga pretends to be focused on his math homework, and tells himself he has no idea what Daichi is talking about.

He’s fine. Oikawa hasn’t broken him yet and Suga did not plan on breaking anytime soon. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

“So the cake didn’t work but he told me he likes spicy things so I'm thinking I’ll make reservations for that new ramen place downtown and bet him that he can’t finish his bowl before me. He can’t say no cause then he’d been losing!” Oikawa pushes down the urge to let out an evil laugh and he pulls up the ramen shop’s website to find the spiciest dish possible. 

Iwa grunts from where he’s lounging on Oikawa’s bed, his face twisted in a tight grimace. 

Oikawa pauses in his scheming to glance at his best friend. He spins around in his desk chair to face him. “You look constipated, Iwa-chan. You do know where the bathroom is right?”

“Shut it, Shittykawa!” He snaps. 

Oikawa gives him an unimpressed look. 

Iwa sighs and scrubs a hand over his face. “Okay, look.” He fixes Oikawa with a serious stare and Oikawa feels a bit like a child who's about to get the Birds and the Bees talk from his dad. “You don’t have to say anything and I don’t wanna, like, make you feel pressured to tell me anything but..” He trails off awkwardly as he searches for the right words. “I just.. You know that you’re my best friend no matter what, right?”

Okay, what the fuck is going on?

Iwa must see his bewildered look cause he groans and pushes his head between his knees. “Look I know I’m not the best at this but I want you to know that you can tell me anything and I won’t like...judge you or whatever. You’re my best friend no matter what, okay? Don’t make me say it again.”

Oikawa blinks and Iwa hesitantly looks up at him searching his face for understanding.

There’s a moment of silence before, “Iwa-chan, I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Are you dying or something?” 

Iwa’s face grows thunderous and he chucks a pillow at Oikawa’s face. “I’m trying to be supportive, asshole! About this _thing_ you have with Sugawara.” Oikawa peers at him over the pillow he had just been attacked with. Iwa was staring stubbornly at one of the sci-fi posters on his wall, refusing to make eye contact.

“My thing with Sugawara?” Oikawa still felt lost. Iwa supports his plans to break Sugawara’s composure? This was certainly a turn around from every other time Oikawa tried to get Iwa to participate in his plans. “I thought you said I was just going to embarrass myself.”

Iwa snorts. “You probably still will. But that was when I thought you were just messing with him.”

Oikawa cocks his head. “But I am just messing with him?”

Iwa throws another pillow at him. Oikawa is definitely making him do his laundry for this. “I just told you I don’t care that you like him, you idiot! If you’re gay or bi or whatever, I don’t care. You’ll still be just as much of a pain in the ass as always so you don’t have to hide it from me, okay?”

Oikawa’s brain feels like it just had a processing error. Iwa’s words rang in his head over and over again. 

_I don’t care that you like him_

Like Mr. Refreshing? As in like-like? No that was impossible, it was all just part of the game. The flirting was just to try to get a reaction out of the setter, it wasn’t serious. Right? Oikawa thinks of all his elaborate schemes to try to break Sugawara. When was the last time he actually felt angry or annoyed with the other setter? Had he always been so excited to see how Sugawara would react to his latest antics even if it wasn’t the embarrassment he was supposedly so determined to draw out? 

He thinks about when he had pulled off the classic “boombox over the head” confession and Suga had laughed, _genuinely_ laughed. Not the teasing one he often used in response to Oikawa’s boldness. But one where he threw his head back and his shoulders shook and his pale skin flushed red as he grew breathless, taking in harsh gasps of air between his laughs that were definitely not refreshing but Oikawa found charming anyways. 

He thinks about the day he tried to corner Suga against the wall only for Suga to trap him as he wrapped his slender arms around his neck and brought his lithe body so achingly close to his own. He thinks about Suga’s breath as he whispered hotly into his ear. How he shuddered then and how he still shudders now just remembering it 

He thinks about the fire that courses through his body when he sees that challenging look in Sugawara’s amber eyes. About the adrenaline rush he gets when he and Suga are trying to outdo each other that makes him feel like he could beat Ushiwaka single handedly. About how he feels dizzy and like he can't breathe when Sugawara gets close.

He even thinks all the way back to that first practice match. How he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Sugawara even before he knew anything about him. How he felt like he was being pulled to Suga with his soft smiles and annoying pinch serves like a planet drawn to their sun. He thinks of when Suga first turned around to look him in the eye and how he had to compose himself before speaking because up close he was even more beautiful than Oikawa had pictured. 

Oh my god. 

“Oh my god.” Iwazumi mumbles in disbelief. “You didn’t know.” He shakes his head and stares up at the ceiling, searching for some kind of divine wisdom. “It really amazes me how much of an idiot you are.”

Oikawa is still too shocked to defend his intelligence. “I didn’t know.” He mutters. “I didn’t even know that I was…” He trails off before pushing that particular thought to the back of his mind. The fact that he had a crush on Sugawara was already enough to process much less the fact that Suga was most definitely a guy and Oikawa had only ever dated girls in the past. He could have his sexuality crisis later. 

Iwa cocked a brow. “What, you just thought you were asking him out every week for the past three months cause he pissed you off?” He snorted. “That's a weird way to show someone you hate them.”

“Three months?” Oikawa breathes. “It hasn’t been that long, has it?”

“Trust me, it has.” Iwa leans back on his arms and kicks Oikawa’s chair. “It’s felt more like three years having to listen to you talk about him every second of the day.”

Oikawa crosses his arm and pouts. “I do not talk about him all the time!”

“Oh yeah? I bet you two-thousand yen that everyone on the team can name Sugawara’s favorite flower. Even Kyotani.”

Oikawa blushes and buries his face in his hands. “Fuck.”

“Yeah.” Iwa agrees. 

Oikawa throws himself from his chair and flops face first onto his bed next to Iwa who pats his back in sympathy. “What am I going to do, Iwa-chan?”

Iwa laughs. “Well you could always try asking him out.”

~~~~~~~~

Despite Iwa’s advice, Oikawa does not ask Sugawara out. 

He thought about it. Really thought about it. It was just impossible Mr. Refreshing liked him in that way. Mr. Refreshing hates him. All Oikawa ever did was try to piss him off. Oikawa is sure he wouldn’t even believe him if he actually told Sugawara how he felt and really what reason had Oikawa given Suga to trust him?

Plus, just the thought of asking Sugawara out for real makes him feel like he’s going to vomit. He can’t even imagine what would happen if he tried to do it in real life. Though he shivered in fear at the thought of what Suga would do to him if Oikawa vomited on him. 

That would be _super_ romantic. 

Oikawa tries to plan another fake date proposal. Just to see if he could even act casual around Suga anymore. So he grabs a brochure from the local planetarium, comes up with the worst space pun he can think of (I’m an astronaut and my next mission is to explore Uranus) and waits patiently outside Karasuno’s gym. He tries to tell himself that nothing is different, that he’s still doing this just to try to get a reaction. But then he peaks in one of the gym windows as sneakily as he can and there he is. 

He’s setting for Baldy and as soon as Oikawa watches his long pale arms send the ball soaring to the perfect position for Baldy to spike he knows he’s fucked. He’s sweating from what must be nearly two hours of practice and it makes his shirt cling to his body, showing his slender hips and just a hint of the smooth torso underneath. His silver hair is plastered to his forehead and he takes a moment to rake those long fingers through it before calling out the next set and jumping into the air. 

Oikawa is going to pass out.

There is absolutely no way Oikawa is going to be able to look Sugawara in the eyes, not when just looking at him made it feel like the world was spinning. God, what was happening to him? He hadn’t felt this way since Sato Akari held his hand on the playground in elementary school. Now he was supposed to be cool and suave! He’d been through a handful of girl friends since he started high school and none of them had ever made him feel like this.

Sugawara glances towards the window and Oikawa squeaks and ducks out of sight. Though he’s pretty sure Suga didn’t see him, his heart is still racing in his chest and Oikawa groans. This is ridiculous. There must be something wrong with him. Just a week ago Sugawara had been the enemy, but now…

Oikawa isn't exactly sure. But he is sure he definitely could not keep up his fake proposals to Sugawara without revealing his feelings. It’s almost ironic in a way. This whole thing had started because Oikawa promised to discover Mr. Refreshing secrets, and now its ending so Mr. Refreshing won’t find out about his. 

After a moment of willing his heart to return to normal, he hears footsteps begin approaching the gym doors and he bolts. 

He doesn’t stop running until he’s back home, panting and drenched in sweat. He goes straight to the shower and gets in before it can warm up. The cold water shocks him out of the Sugawara haze he had been in since he saw the boy. He has to do something about this. 

Oikawa always prided himself on being creative, so when he can only come up with one solution he is sure that is really the only one. He has to stop all communication with Suga. 

At the end of the day what were they really to each other? Sports rivals that had extended their rivalry into their social lives? All he is to Suga was an annoyance, someone literally determined to test his patience. Suga will probably be glad to be rid of his over dramatic gestures and relentless teasing. 

Oikawa sighs and tilts his head up into the spray of the water. He tells himself that it's not a big deal. That he has better things to think about like the Spring preliminaries. But his mind keeps drifting back to Suga in the gym. How long his legs looked as he ran across the court. The elegant curve of his back as he arched backwards to set the ball. His wide, unfiltered smile when the ball he set smashed through the blockers. 

The shower was hot now. Oikawa glances down and grimaces. 

Well, he knows one thing for sure.

He definitely isn’t straight. 

~~~~~~~~~~

And so, Oikawa does what he’s always done when he doesn’t wanna think about something: he throws himself into volleyball. 

He starts staying extra hours after practice, (well, more extra than his usual extra) he practices his serve so much he has to use his non-dominant hand to take notes in class his serving arm is so exhausted, and he pushes his team mercilessly as he tries to get Kyotani to play nice with the team. 

He can tell Iwaizumi wants to say something, but knows it would be a bit hypocritical and wouldn’t actually stop Oikawa from practicing anyway. With the Spring qualifiers coming up everyone on the team was pushing themselves beyond their limit. It would be the third year's last shot at nationals after all, and they were all more determined than ever to beat Shiritorizawa.

Oikawa tries to ignore the fact that Sugawara doesn’t text him once. Which is for the best really. It just confirms that he only ever annoyed him and Suga was relieved to finally have him gone. 

So he put absolutely all of his focus on volleyball and it isn’t until he’s walking through the halls of the Spring Qualifiers and Kindaichi says “Hey, we should go watch the Karasuno game” that Oikawa even considers the fact that he is going to be playing against Sugawara. 

They walk up to the bleachers and find a seat. Karasuno’s playing Wakutani, and they’re about to take the first set. Oikawa tries to keep his eyes on the court, offering snide commentary to his teammates which Iwa smacks him for. But it’s only so long before Oikawa can resist looking over at the sideline.

He’s there. Obviously. Cheering on his teammates with as much vigor as Oikawa remembers. Oikawa can’t stop the smile that grows on his face when Suga jumps into the air with a “whoop!” as Karasuno takes the first set. Though he quickly scowls when he realizes what he’s doing. 

He was supposed to be over this stupid crush he had on, Mr. Refreshing! Oikawa stubbornly refuses to watch anymore of the Karasuno game and instead watches the Dateko game on the adjacent court. Better to get some intel on his opponent than stare at Sugawara like an idiot for an hour. 

Luckily, the time passes quickly and before he knows it it's time to get ready for their own match against Dateko. Oikawa allows himself to take one glance at Mr. Refreshing as he stands, and with a jolt he realizes Suga is looking straight at him. 

Suga’s eyes widen when he realizes Oikawa has caught him staring and his cheeks burn a pretty red. He ducks his head and rubs the back of his neck before glancing nervously back at Oikawa. Forgetting that he was supposed to be resisting his feelings for this boy and almost physically aching from how much he has missed seeing Sugawara, Oikawa raises his hand and waves. 

Suga blinks, and several emotions pass over his face before it settles on something between regret and sadness. He offers Oikawa a wobbly smile that doesn’t reach his eyes before breaking eye contact and turning back to his team.

Oikawa turns and follows his team, feeling oddly numb. It isn’t until after the Dateko game that he realizes:

He finally saw Sugawara Koushi blush.

It doesn’t feel like the victory he imagined. 

~~~~~

Karasuno’s libero is glaring daggers at him from across the net and Oikawa gets a sweeping sense of deja vu. In fact, almost all of Karasuno was shooting murderous looks his way. Even the green one and Oikawa is pretty sure that kid would be scared of a fly. The only one not actively plotting his death was Sugawara. Who kept his gaze keenly focused on tying his shoes. 

Oikawa groans. As if he really needed another reason for the crows to hate him right before facing them in the semi-finals 

Iwa looks between Karasuno and Oikawa suspiciously. “What did you do, Oikawa?”

“Nothing!” Oikawa protests. “It’s not my fault Karasuno is over-protective of their Mama Crow.” His voice drips with thinly veiled jealousy.

Iwa gives him a hard look. “Are you gonna be okay?’ He jerks his head towards Sugawara. “You, know playing against him and everything?”

“Of course, Iwa. Not even Mr. Refreshing is going to stop me from crushing Ushiwaka.” He speaks with confidence, but he knows Iwa hears the slight quiver in his voice.

Iwa claps a hand on his shoulder and squeezes. Oikawa blinks in surprise at the open display of affection from his best friend, usually the most comfort Iwa is willing to provide is smacking him in the face. “You are the single most insane person I have ever met.” Ah yes, there’s good old Iwa-chan. “I’ve seen you do some crazy things for this sport, including almost assaulting a ten year old.” Iwa gives him a teasing smile. “So I highly doubt some pretty boy is gonna be able to stop you now.”

It wasn’t a traditional pep-talk, but to Oikawa it was a million times better than any Oscar-worthy speech. His eyes fill with tears and Iwa’s face turns pale.

“Iwa-chan!!!” Oikawa cries, throwing his arms around the ace before he can get away. 

“Get off me, Crappykawa!” Iwa growls as he tries to pry Oikawa’s arms off to no avail. The rest of Seijoh looks on in amusement, leaving Iwa on his own to fend off Oikawa.

“You really do care.” He chokes out.

“If you get snot on me I swear to god your sister will have to find someone else to pick Takeru up from practice.”

Oikawa does let go eventually as the match is about to begin. He lines up with his team and stares across the net. Sugawara still refuses to look at him and Oikawa nearly forgets to bow with the rest of the team as he watches him.

He is pretty sure if Sawamura wasn’t such a goody two shoes he would have punched Oikawa when they went forward to shake hands. He certainly did his best to try to break Oikawa’s fingers as they did so.

But as the whistle blows and the game begins Oikawa finds it almost unbelievably easy to forget about everything besides the game. When he’s on the court his mind becomes a machine built for the singular purpose of winning. He had really been worried for nothing. Though he couldn’t deny that Iwa’s constant reassuring glances were helping keep him focused.

So it was fine. He was fine.

Until, of course, it wasn’t. 

Oikawa’s face is expressionless as the final whistle blows. Karasuno explodes in cheers as they all rush the court to tackle each other. His team looks on in shock. Kindaichi and Yahaba already have tears streaming down their faces.

Oikawa closes his eyes and takes a deep breath in. He absorbs it all. The smell of sweat and linoleum and the sharp artificial leather of a volleyball. The squeak of sneakers against the polished floor, the harsh smack of a successful spike, the cheers of his school as they congratulated them on a hard fought game. The exhaustion in every one of his bones, the hammering pulse of his heartbeat he could feel in his fingertips, the sharp pain in his knee from where he had fallen on it earlier, the lingering sting of the ball on his palms.

Oikawa breathes out.

He opens his eyes.

For the next few hours he’s in Captain mode. He’s calm and collected as he gathers his team up to thank their classmates. He remains blank as their coach speaks to them about legacy and giving it everything you have. He doesn’t flinch when he glances to his left and sees Iwa wiping away tears. He even manages to (barely) keep his composure when fucking Ushiwaka says “You should have gone to Shiratowizawa.” Even though he would have liked nothing more than to punch him in the face.

There’s time for all of that later. In a gym that he’s spent three years sweating and bleeding and crying in as his team wraps him in a group hug and he cries and cries and cries. As he walks home with Iwa, the only noise between them the sound of tears hitting the pavement. After him and Iwa share a fist bump that somehow encapsulates all of their years of success and failure and so much hard work that it almost feels like an anvil crushing his chest. When he finally gets to a room and punches his wall so hard that he leaves a hole in it. When his mom runs upstairs and begins to scold him before she sees his face and says “ _Oh Tooru”_ and suddenly he’s crying in her arms like he’s five not eighteen but he can’t bring himself to care as he sobs and gasps and screams until there's nothing left in him and his mom puts him to bed. When sometime after midnight his phone buzzes softly and he turns his bloodshot eyes to see a message from a number he hasn’t heard from in a month. 

**Mr. UNRefreshing**

you were really amazing today

And Oikawa sheds tears he didn’t know he had left. 

Yeah. There would be time for all of that later. For now he was Captain. For now he had a job to do. For now he would be strong so his team doesn’t have to be. 

So he raises his head, high and proud, and bows.

_“Thank you all for coming.”_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He really shouldn’t be that surprised when Iwa finds him hiding at the top of the bleachers. It is Iwa, afterall. That being said, he really isn’t surprised when, about ten minutes after sitting down, Iwa says “So you're finally gonna talk to Sugawara, huh?”

Oikawa sighs and doesn't even try to deny it. “How could you tell? Maybe I really am here just to watch a volleyball game between my greatest rivals.”

Iwa arches a brow. “You’re wearing your nice coat and your shirt is actually ironed for once in your life. You're wearing your glasses instead of contacts probably because of that time Sugawara said they made you look ‘sophisticated’ and,” he leans over and plucks a strand of hair off Oikawa’s head. Making him yelp and cover his precious hair with his hands, glaring sharply. “Yep.” He hums as he observes the hair. “You even used hair gel. You didn’t even do that for your sister’s wedding, and you were a groomsman.”

Oikawa blushes and pouts at how easily his best friend can read him. “Fine you caught me.” He crosses his arms petulantly. “But it’s not like I’ll even be able to talk to him. He has an entire pack of guard dogs that won’t let me anywhere near him.” He glares down at Baldy and the Libero in particular. “I don’t understand why they hate me so much anyways.”

“It’s cause they think you were making fun of Sugawara because he’s gay.” Iwa says like he hasn’t just shattered Oikawa’s brain into a million pieces.

Oikawa snaps his head to look at Iwazumi who doesn’t even bother to look away from the game, hissing in sympathy when Karasuno’s blonde middle blocker takes a particularly rough spike head on. “What?” Oikawa shouts, causing the spectators around them to turn and glare. “What do you mean ‘because he’s gay’???”

Iwa shrugs casually and Oikawa just knows he’s enjoying this way more than he should be. “He’s gay and pretty open about it. Not exactly an easy thing to be in Japan, especially in sports. So I’m not surprised Karasuno thought you were using it to try to mess up his game or whatever.” Oikawa reels. 

He would never--! He didn’t even---- he thought-- “But I didn’t even know!”

Iwa snorts. “Yeah, I figured. But unfortunately for Karasuno they don’t know you're both a dick and an idiot. They just think you’re a dick.” 

Oikawa huffs. “Whatever, Iwa.” He mumbles stubbornly. 

Iwa just smirks and goes back to watching the game as Oikawa processes this new information. 

Sugawara was gay. He supposes it makes sense in hindsight. There’s no way a straight man would have the confidence in his own masculinity to be fine with Oikawa asking him out every week. He glances at Iwa from the corner of his eye. Well, most straight men. 

Oikawa felt like he should be excited by this new revelation but instead he’s just mortified. Everything about how Karasuno treats him makes a lot more sense now. The libero’s confrontation with him months ago now seems completely reasonable. Oikawa would probably wanna murder someone if he thought they were making fun of one of his teammates sexuality too. Though it did make him think if Sugawara thought the same way as his team.

Oh god, if Suga thought he was just some douche who was trying to get a rise out of the gay kid there’s no way he’ll ever want to talk to him again. Oikawa groans and buries his face in his hands. Though the more he thinks about it there’s no way that Suga---smart, confident, witty, gorgeous, unafraid to speak his mind Suga---would have put up with his bullshit for three months if he thought he was a homophobe. Suga would have kicked him to the curb without a second thought. But he hadn’t.

Instead, Sugawara had teased him right back. He smiled and winked and _flirted._ He let him walk him home, and gave him his phone number, and told him about his favorite foods, and- 

_you were really amazing today_

Oikawa looks up. Sugawara is standing at the sidelines holding a number nine card in his hand. His teammates all cheer as he runs onto the court and he offers them all blinding smiles before turning to give Tendou Satori a cheeky grin. Oh god Oikawa likes him so much he’s so fucked.

But Suga had played the game too. For three months. It had to mean something, right? Oikawa really hopes it means something. 

A few minutes later Oikawa lets out an extremely undignified noise when Suga _spikes_ the ball and Iwa laughs until his face turns red. 

~~~~~

When the final whistle blows Oikawa jumps up and screams with the rest of the Karasuno fans. He quickly remembers himself and sits back down with a flush. Ignoring Iwa’s smirking face and attempting to look as grumpy as possible. 

Though he can’t quite keep the satisfied smile off his face as he watches Ushiwaka stare in disbelief at the scoreboard. Oikawa would defeat Ushiwaka himself one day, but for now it's almost enough to watch his kouhai put Ushiwaka in his place. Almost.

Amidst the screams, Sugawara stumbles towards Sawamura and the other third year like he still can’t believe what’s happening and the three of them collapse into a tear filled hug. Oikawa watches and all he can think is--- _I want to hold him, I want to be the one congratulating him, I want to kiss everyone of those tears off his face_.

He frowns. God, when did he get so gay?

He’s so focused on Sugawara that he doesn’t notice Iwa quickly typing something on his phone before standing up and stretching nonchalantly. “Well come on, before you embarrass yourself anymore.”

Oikawa looks up at him in confusion. “Iwa, as much as I don’t want to watch this awards ceremony I am still here to talk to Sugawara.”

“I know that, dumbass. You need to get him away from his team right?”

Oikawa nods. “My darling Iwa, what are you scheming?”

Iwa scowls. “I pulled some strings. Let’s just say you owe me a couple thousand favors.” He walks off towards the exit and Oikawa hops up after him, his heart racing with a mix of dread and anticipation. 

Apparently, “pulling some strings” meant shoving Oikawa into an empty meeting room in another part of the gymnasium, locking the door, and snapping “don’t fuck it up” before loudly walking off. 

After banging against the door and whining for five minutes Oikawa knew there was no hope of Iwa releasing him. So he collapses down into one of the swivel chairs with a huff. This was definitely not the romcom confession scene he had imagined. But he trusted Iwa so there was really nothing else to do but wait. 

Luckily, it seemed he wouldn’t have to wait long. There the sounds of a scuffle outside the door and an irritated _“Dachi, what are you-!”_ and suddenly Sugawara Koushi is tumbling through the door.

He blinks when he sees Oikawa. He’s wearing his black tracksuit with a gleaming gold medal around his neck. His hair is still slightly damp from the game and it’s starting to curl around the edges. He stares at Oikawa with those big brown eyes, a thousand emotions passing through them at once. 

Oikawa feels like he’s going to vomit. 

The door swings shut and there’s the distinct sound of a deadbolt sliding into place. They stare at each other in silence.

After a minute, Oikawa swallows the sour taste in his mouth and tries to smile. “Hello, Mr. Refreshing.”

Suga stands ramrod straight. The surprised look is replaced with one of careful indifference. Without addressing Oikawa he turns around, jiggles the doorknob to no avail and says with sickly sweet venom. “Daichi, if you don’t let me out of here you are going to seriously regret it.”

Oikawa is pretty sure he actually hears Sawamura squeak from the other side of the door. He also is pretty sure now is not the time to be finding Suga’s voice wildly hot. 

He quickly shakes his head. Okay, right. He has a goal here.

Wiping his sweaty palms on his pants he clears his throat. “Sugawara, I think I owe you an explanation.” Suga’s shoulders tense and Oikawa realizes that the first time he’s actually called Suga by his full name.

Slowly, Suga turns around. Though he refuses to make eye contact, keeping his eyes trained on the stained carpet. “You don’t owe me anything.” He says carefully, and Oikawa can tell he’s trying to keep his voice calm and polite. “It’s not like we're dating or anything.”

That stings, but Oikawa probably deserves it. “Suga, look, I’m…. I’m sorry for how I treated you.” Suga looks up. “I thought you were a challenge I had to beat instead of, you know, an actual human being.”

Suga snorts and Oikawa’s hope soars. 

“I know I probably annoyed the hell out of you but I hope you know…” He trails off and rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. He really hates having to talk about his feelings. “That I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Suga’s face shutters and Oikawa quickly realizes his mistake.

He jumps out of his seat. “No, no, no! Not like that, I don’t mean that it didn’t mean anything!” He quickly back tracks. “I mean I didn’t _mean_ anything by it! Oh god I just said it again didn’t I?” He slaps his hand over his face with a groan. “Okay. What I mean is I wasn’t teasing you to like, try to make fun of you.” Realization dawns on Suga’s face and he breathes a sigh of relief. “I know what your team thinks of me. I just wanted you to know that it wasn’t about that.” He nods minutely and Oikawa laughs weakly. “I just wanted to see you blush, and at some point I was just so annoyed by how unfazeable you are I had to see how far I could push it.”

Suga regards him for a moment, his eyes searching Oikawa’s face for…...something. Honesty? Deceit? Sugawara was as unreadable as he’d ever been and Oikawa waited anxiously for him to say something. 

“Why’d you stop?”

“What?”

Suga looks angry. “Why’d you stop trying?” He snaps. “You follow me around for three months and then you just vanish? No annoying emoji filled text or anything.” His hands clench into fists at his side. “I wanna know why.”

Oikawa pauses, thrown off guard by Suga’s sudden anger. But once he processes what Suga was asking his face flushes. What is he supposed to say? _Oh it’s cause I realized I was super gay for you and couldn’t talk to you without either throwing up or getting a boner._

Yes, that is exactly what you are supposed to do. A voice that sounded a lot like Iwa dryly echoes through his head. Though without the vomit or the boner. Gross.

He takes a breath. Okay. he could do this. He was Oikawa Tooru. The best setter in all of Miyagi and ultimate playboy of Aoba Johsai. He could tell this boy he liked him. 

Suga is looking at him impatiently and Oikawa takes a careful step forward. “Suga.” He can do this, he can do this. He just has to say it. 

“It’s cause I couldn’t stand having to see Tobio so much.”

No, you idiot!!

Suga looks ready to slap him and Oikawa throws his hands up and waves them frantically. “No, wait! That is not what I meant to say, I didn’t mean that.” Suga slowly lowers his hand and Oikawa releases the breath he was holding. Sugawara Koushi is truly a terrifying creature. 

“What I meant to say is that, I ….like you.” Oikawa mumbles the last part at the ground.

Suga leans forward. “Excuse me?”

Oikawa huffs. “Jesus Christ, Mr. Refreshing. I like you!” Suga’s eyes widen. “I stopped asking you out because I realized I liked you for real and that I couldn’t fucking look at you without acting like an idiot! Much less actually ask you out. I’d probably end up accidentally hitting you or something.” Oikawa feels like a damn has been broken and all the feelings he’s been trying to suppress for the past month are pouring out. “And how was I supposed to deal with it when you said no now? Before it was part of the challenge but now I wanted you to say yes so bad I couldn’t stand the thought of you saying no. Plus, that would have been such an unfair advantage!” Oikawa points an accusing finger at Sugawara. “Could you imagine what you could have done if you knew the reason I was so obsessed with you is because I had a crush on you and didn’t even know it?” Oikawa shudders. “I can’t even imagine the terrible things you would have come up with, not to mention it would have made it almost completely impossible for me to win. Really you should--”

“Oikawa.” Suga shouts and Oikawa quickly snaps his mouth shut. Oh god, he probably said too much. 

For what feels like an eternity there’s no sound except for the pounding of Oikawa’s heart. Then Suga’s face breaks into a wide, blinding, _refreshing_ smile. His eyes shine and Oikawa swears they’re a little misty but Suga has had quite the day.

“You may be the biggest idiot I’ve ever met in my life.”

Oikawa throws his hands up in exasperation. “Can people please stop telling me that! I really need to make better friends.”

Before he can say anything else though Suga is moving towards him and throwing his arms around his neck just like in the alleyway only….. _oh._ Only this is so much better because this time Suga presses their lips together with a gentle but firm pressure that makes Oikawa’s head spin. 

After a moment of surprise Oikawa melts into the kiss. He wraps his arms around Suga to press his fingertips into the small of his back, pushing him closer so that their chest were pushed together and he could bend down to capture his mouth more firmly. 

Wow. This was happening. He was kissing Mr. Refreshing. Like _the_ Mr. Refreshing. His entire body felt like it was on fire and he couldn’t think about anything but Suga’s lips and Suga’s scent and Suga’s body and Koushi’s _hands_ that moved up to weave through Oikawa’s hair and he hummed in pleasure. 

Suga smiles against his lips and Oikawa bites the smug bastard. He gasps and Oikawa winds his tongue into Suga’s mouth and oh my god Suga just _moaned._ Oikawa has never heard anything hotter in his life and he must absolutely hear it again. 

He wraps his arms more fully around Suga so he can support more of his weight and then, like the greatest moment in a romcom, he dips him, low and smooth. Suga breaks away with a gasp as he tightens his arms around Oikawa’s neck, once he realizes that he’s not falling he glances at Oikawa’s face which is pulled into the most self-satisfied smirk he had ever seen. Suga blinks, and then high grating peals of laughter start to pour out of his mouth. 

Oikawa falters before glaring. “Suga-chan you are the worst. I am trying to be romantic!”

“I know, I’m sorry.” He gasps out between laughs. “I just-” He opens his eyes to see Oikawa’s pouty face and breaks out laughing again.

Oikawa drops him.

Suga let’s out an “oof” as he hits the ground and stares up at Oikawa in mock offense, mouth open in a wide ‘o’. But after just a few seconds the corners of his mouth start twitching and he wheezes as he starts laughing all over again. Now lying on the ground and clutching his stomach. 

Oikawa tries to stand there and glare at him. He really does. But Suga is here and he just kissed him and he’s laughing. His real laugh with the screeching little gasps in between and Oikawa is going to fall in love with this boy. 

He shakes his head and starts chuckling. Eventually, his laughter escalates into the same intensity as Suga and he clutches the table as he doubles over and laughs and laughs and laughs until Suga grabs his jacket and yanks him onto the floor. 

Oikawa yelps as he collapses nearly ontop of Suga so he's basically in his lap and Suga giggles like that wasn't one of the hottest things to ever happen and leans up to capture his lips again. Oikawa happily obliges. They sit like that for a while. Oikawa thinking of nothing but Suga's lips and the small noise that escapes him whenever Oikawa nibbles on his lower lip.

Oikawa is about to get really bold and start trailing kisses along Suga's jaw when there's three sharp knocks at the door. Oikawa springs off of Suga like he's been burned, jumping to his feet and wobbling backward. And of course, just _of course_ , as he's backpedaling his foot is caught on the leg of a swivel chair and he ends up falling backward over the chair. He _does not_ scream as he does so, no matter what Suga and Iwa say. (Oikawa later has nightmares about Suga and Iwa finally meeting and all the ways the two of them could find to torture him)

Suga is dying a few feet away and Oikawa turns red to the tip of his ears. Iwa's agitated voice rings out from behind the door. "Oi have you groveled enough yet, Shittykawa? Karasuno's bus is about to leave and unless you want to walk all the way home you better be in my car in five minutes."

"Yes, mom!" Oikawa snaps and he hears Iwa huff in amusement as the deadbolt slides open. Iwa doesn't come in though, and Oikawa thanks his lucky stars. Just having to deal with Sugawara seeing him on the ground like an idiot is enough thank you very much. 

Suga's smile is brighter than he's ever seen before as he moves to offer Oikawa a hand. Oikawa grudgingly takes it though he is quickly appeased when Suga pulls him into a quick kiss as he pulls him up. He pulls back with that mischievous look that Oikawa knows means he's about to be in trouble. 

"So," Suga begins and Oikawa has heard Suga's voice being sultry before but it was always without real intention behind it. This time Suga's low and silken voice had real intention behind it and Oikawa is pretty sure he is either going to die right here or pop a boner. Which in that case he would wish he was dead anyway. "Are you going to ask me?"

Oikawa tilts his head. Ask him? Ask him what- _oh!_

Oikawa smirks and takes a step back before grabbing Suga's hand and bowing dramatically. "Mr. Refreshing," he beings with an exaggerated pompous accent that makes Suga roll his eyes. "I have never met a man as fair as thee, no one with a wit so sharp." Suga hides a smile behind his other hand. "I would be the luckiest man in all of Japan if you were to allow me just a measly date." He places a gentle kiss on Suga's knuckles and when he sees Suga's cheeks turn slightly pink at the gesture an entire spark of electricity runs through his body and settles somewhere in his stomach. It feels so much better than he ever could imagine. 

He drops Suga's hand so he can tuck a stray silver hair behind his ear and cup that precious pink hue on Suga's cheek with the other. "So," he says, dropping the accent. "What do you say, Mr. Refreshing?"

Honestly Oikawa is expecting Suga to tease him. To scratch his chin and say "I'll think about it." before strutting out the door and leaving Oikawa drooling after him as always. But Mr. Refreshing has always surprised him.

Suga launches himself at him and starts peppering kisses all over his face. In between kisses he whispers "yes, yes, yes" over and over and Oikawa is so far gone on his boy. He grabs his face so he can give him a proper kiss, trying to put all the crackling electricity and energy that he felt into it so Suga could understand how _crazy_ he made him feel. But all too quickly Suga leans back with a smirk and Oikawa knows he hasn't gotten away unscathed yet. 

"There is just one problem though."

Oikawa raises a brow.

"SUGA-SAN!!!" Oikawa's head whips towards the door as Shrimpy's voice suddenly ricochets through the air, followed by several more Karasuno voices all calling for their Vice-Captain.

Oikawa's eyes go wide in horror and Suga chuckles. "You may have to stop my kouhais from killing you." Suga presses a quick kiss on his cheek before deliberately walking backward with an evil gleam in his eye.

Oikawa's mouth drops open and he clasps his hands together desperately as he begs "Suga-chan, please you can't do this to me, I thought you liked me, please I am begging you I'll do anything."

Suga opens the door.

"Suga-san! We've been looking for-WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Iwa better cry at his funeral.

  
  


end.

….

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


(Bonus)

_Some years later_

“Tell me a secret.”

“I’m in love with you, Sugawara Koushi.”

“No! You didn’t do it right!”

“You’re evil, despicable. I can’t believe I’m still dating you.”

“Please!”

“You live to see me suffer don’t you?”

“ _Tooru._ ”

…

“Ugh, fine. Don’t look at me like that. I’m in love with you, Mr. Refreshing. There, are you happy now—Kou? Koushi, what are you doing?” 

“What do you say, Great King? Think you’d like to be Mr. Refreshing too?”

**Author's Note:**

> And there you have it!
> 
> Thank you for reading I really hoped you enjoyed it. It was so much fun to write these two their relationship is just so fun to explore
> 
> If you don't think Oikawa stans One Direction you are wrong 
> 
> The title is from the song Lemons by Byre which I kept picturing an annoyed suga listening to and thinking about oikawa before he catches feelings


End file.
